Lilacs
by Lost Whispers
Summary: Discontent with life in the Earth Kingdom, Ursa wonders what it would take to make everything normal again for her and her broken family. One-Shot. Turtle-Ducks Part 2.


**Lilacs**

**A/N: I've never been too great at one-shots, but "Turtle-Ducks" is doing ok I guess so maybe I'll try again. I don't know; I kind of liked my other one-shot better, but whatever. Enjoy.**

As dawn broke silently over the sleeping planet, drowning the lush emerald landscape in pastel pinks and lavenders, Ursa stared soundlessly out her open window, only half awake. Spread leisurely around her yard were lilac bushes, all weighted down with hundreds of tiny white flowers which danced innocently on a gentle morning breeze. There was a constant rustling noise as the little green leaves surrounding the lilacs were tossed about and from her room Ursa smiled diffidently at the cream-colored flowers.

She loved those lilacs. There was something about their shy, docile appearance that was comforting to her. Every morning, they were right outside her window, permeating the air with their sweet, nectarous perfume. They were something constant in her ever-changing life; something on which she could depend. People could always betray each other, and in her experience they often did. Lilacs, though, always seemed so reliable.

Those ivory flowers wouldn't grow in the Fire Nation. It was much too hot and much too dry. Ursa had loved the suffocatingly arid weather, but her flowers didn't. Not that it made a difference. Until Ozai decided he wanted her back, she'd be trapped here in the Earth Kingdom, miles away from her home, her family, and him. Deep down, she knew he would never miss her. She'd probably already been replaced. Just because Ozai didn't miss her, though, didn't mean she'd gotten over him.

Even after being used and thrown away, the quiet, sweet-tempered woman couldn't help but feel abandoned when she woke up alone every morning. Without Ozai, she felt empty and lost. It might not have been so bad if he'd actually cared, but it had been a long time since Ozai cared about anything besides his throne.

And Ozai wasn't the only person who she thought about on a daily basis. The whole reason she was even in the Earth Kingdom was because she'd wanted to save Zuko. Every time she thought about Ozai - which was often - she worried about her precious baby boy, wondering if she'd done the right thing leaving him behind. Because of her, he would never have a mother again or be able to communicate peacefully with his father. Zuko reminded Ozai of her, and the Fire Lord hated her.

Enviously, the banished princess glared at her beloved lilacs. They had it easy. Instead of stressing over family matters and paying the rent, they went through each day with only two desires - water and sunshine. She wondered what it would belike to never worry or even think. Did those fragile little flowers know how lucky they were? For as long as they lived, someone would always be around to care for them, and in return all they had to do was blossom in the warmer months of the year.

Ursa sighed. Soon even the lilacs would all be dead; shriveled and brown on their thin, gnarled branches. Although common sense told her they'd bloom again in spring, Ursa couldn't help but feel like they were abandoning her, too. Common sense wasn't always reliable. She'd always been sure that her life in the Fire Nation was concrete; set immovably in stone so that she would be happy and loved forever. She'd been wrong, and now promising anything to herself seemed foolish.

A small, dove-colored bird perched lightly on one of Ursa's lilac bushes. The small disruption sent a few of the soft white flowers showering to the ground where they crumpled neatly in the dim shade of their parent plant. Wistfully, Ursa reached out her window and caught one right as it fell off of its delicate little twig. It was cool and slightly moist from that morning's dew as it lay dead in her pale, thin hand, and when she looked down at the petite blossom, it seemed to be trembling. Or was that her?

With jealous, tear-filled eyes, she let it go. Catching on a tranquil breath of wind, it floated silently away, leaving Ursa to sigh and wonder if things could ever go back to the way they were; the way they should've always been. She fingered her betrothal necklace, wondering why she even wore it. It had been so long since it actually meant something to anyone besides her.

Hands shaking, she sorrowfully took it off. Its smooth, scarlet satin band shimmered in the golden morning sunlight as she carried it outside. She set it gently beneath one of the lilac bushes whose tiny flowers' petals' still held some life; it looked lonely and out of place there, resting in the cool dark shadow of the cloud-white bush.

But it was useless to her now. No matter where she went after this, things would never be normal again - never be as perfect as they could've been. Still, she couldn't stay here anymore; she couldn't ever seem to stay anywhere.

Remorsefully she walked away, looking back one last time at her lilacs. Without her, who would take care of them? The thought troubled her, but she shrugged it off. She'd abandoned people before, and they always turned out fine; maybe even better than they would've been with her around.

It was getting cold in the Earth Kingdom this time of year, and no matter what Ozai said, she was going to the Fire Nation. Maybe it wasn't too late for her to have a happy ending.

**A/N: Last sentence is credited to my mommy. I couldn't think of one to save my life.**


End file.
